Equine faculty featured at the 11th World Congress of the WEVA

By Kristine McComis

James Belknap, DVM, PhD, and professor of Equine Surgery, and Rustin Moore, DVM, PhD, the Bud and Maryilyn Jenne Professor and chair of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, were invited to speak at the 11th World Congress of the World Equine Veterinary Association in late September. The meeting takes place bi-annually and draws veterinarians from all parts of the world. This year over 1,100 participants from more than 40 countries attended the meeting. Approximately 50 scientific papers were delivered during the three-day meeting, along with 115 oral presentations more than 200 posters.

Dr. Belknap gave three presentations related to different aspects of laminitis. He presented "What role does inflammation play in the developmental and acute clinical stages of laminitis?" with Rafael Faleiros, DVM, PhD, who spent a year at Ohio State in Dr. Belknap's research group as a post doctoral researcher and is currently at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil. Dr. Moore presented six abstracts related to colic, endotoxemia and laminitis, three of which were co-authored by Dr. Britta Leise. "The talks were well received," said Dr. Moore. "I was really impressed with the deep appreciation that people from other countries had for the information that was presented."

Dr. Belknap echoed Dr. Moore's sentiments, "There was good participation and collaborative efforts," he said. "The questions that arose during the seminars reflected attendees' keen interest in the scientific and pathophysiological aspect of equine medicine." He noted that veterinarians in Brazil are eager to learn and don't always have access to the veterinary products that we do; or they have to pay exorbitant prices for importing the products. He modifed his talks and adapted the information to their clinical practice. "They are excellent veterinarians who commonly work in facilities that are not as up-to-date," Dr. Belknap said. "Their main challenge is getting good quality equipment."

Originally part of the World Veterinary Association, WEVA became an independent organization in 2001. Their mission is to advance the health and welfare of horses worldwide by promoting and offering quality continuing education for equine practitioners, specifically in countries with limited access to high quality, broad-based professional education.

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About the College of Veterinary Medicine at Ohio State

Founded in 1885, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine is ranked fifth in the nation and includes more than 1,000 faculty, staff and students in the Departments of Veterinary Biosciences, Veterinary Clinical Sciences, and Veterinary Preventive Medicine. The Veterinary Medical Center is one of the largest specialty referral centers in the world, with more than 35,000 farm, equine, and companion animal patients each year. A nationally-recognized ambulatory practice and teaching unit in Marysville, Ohio provides farm animal experience to every veterinary student, and the Food Animal Health Research Program in Wooster, OH focuses on detection, control, and prevention of disease. Located on the only campus in the country with a comprehensive medical center offering seven health sciences colleges, we admit up to 162 veterinary students per class, and offer a new comprehensive graduate program in Veterinary and Comparative Medicine as well as a unique Master’s degree in Veterinary Public Health, in partnership with the College of Public Health. http://vet.osu.edu.